Oklahoma
by A.K.A. Anonymous
Summary: Duo is split from the others when he recieves some startling news...his father's alive. Duo makes the decision to leave, but where will he go now? Chp. 4, the conclusion!
1. Circumstances He Can't Change

Title: Oklahoma  
Author: AKA Anonymous  
Warnings: A dash of bad language in one of the later chapters. A little bit of angst and probably too much of my funky humor.  
Disclaimer: The G-boys and all their toys don't belong to me. Kay? Kay.  
  
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Lady Une's office at Preventer Headquarters was not unfamiliar to Duo Maxwell. The large, sparsely furnished room seemed to always be alight, whether from the tall windows on the far wall letting sunshine flood the burgundy carpets or the warm electric lights flowing over the massive oak desk and matching chairs day and night. The Commander of Preventer operations took her job very seriously, too seriously for Duo's personal taste, but he understood her devotion to the cause. It was that respect for her that lead him to the building that day, even though he was not there on official business as an Agent or because of some new danger, but out of a respect for the woman who had contacted him with a vague request that he meet her. So, plastering his best smile in place, the boy strode into the room with an arrogant confidence that always seemed to annoy the brown-haired woman.   
  
Two steps into the room he stopped. Five pairs of eyes snapped up to meet him, all familiar to him and his easy-going ways, but he could see at first glance the normal prankster persona had no place here. The room, though filled with golden rays of sunlight, was cloaked in a darkness carried in those flat eyes.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Maxwell," Une's voice broke the unpleasant moment with a soft, soothing tone. Duo's mind automatically went on red alert, he could tell she was about to break some major news. His smile slid from his face as he studied the others, looking for hints.   
  
The ever-stiff-necked Heero Yuy leaned against the far window, his eyes giving no clues to their secrets, as usual. A pair of aquamarine globes peaked out from behind soft blonde bangs as Quatre's gaze met his; there was no sadness there, only a twinge of comrade recognition and buried anger at the inevitable. Whatever the inevitable was at the moment, it wasn't on Quatre's good side. Trowa, the warrior-clown, ignored the newcomer as he read an official-looking document in his hand. Lastly, Duo's gaze fell on his last old ally, Wufei Chang, his favorite person to annoy did not look happy. The Chinese Agent stood at a rigid attention, hands clenched and jaw squared as he glared furiously into the empty space in front of him. "Would you care to sit down, Duo? This might take awhile to explain."  
  
Duo shifted his eyes back to the calm features of Lady Une as she motioned to a padded oak chair. The young man with the long braid sat down gracefully, back straight, eyes locked on the woman as he mentally prepared himself for her to break the news. And then deal with the consequences, whatever they turned out to be.  
  
"Maxwell, as you know, the new government has been making and enforcing new laws to expand and strengthen the bonds between Earth and the colonies." Une spoke cautiously, eyeing the boy for any signs of anger, but Duo sat in growing anticipation of the worst. Her explanation was already too long for his liking-she was definitely trying to ease him into something. But what? He knew if it was a new threat to the security of the ESUN she would have mentioned something, called him in in an official capacity, but she hadn't. Then why did she need to see him? Why were the other Gundam pilots there? *Had their identities been released?*  
  
As that possibility slipped into mind Duo leaned forward and glared, a silent command for Une to spit it out.   
  
She caught the warning and sighed, "One of the laws is a reaffirmation of legal ages and such. Including a law that makes it illegal for minors, children under the age of eighteen, to live on their own without proper government approval."  
  
A low growl emanated from Heero's direction. Duo cast a glance at the stoic soldier only to find the cobalt eyes tightened in anger. More glancing about confirmed that the others had similar expressions. "I don't get it, what's the big deal? So we have to get approval or whatever? That's easy enough, right?"  
  
Lady Une cleared her throat and folded her hands together, suddenly not able to meet his gaze. "There's a problem, Duo. When the law was first reviewed Miss Relena brought up the point that the five of you are not legal adults yet and she felt that you should be given the approval because of your services. Unfortunately, there were those who did not feel that you should be allowed to live alone or without supervision because of your backgrounds. They were successful in persuading the majority. You and the other Gundam Pilots will not be granted approval to live without supervision until the day of your eighteenth birthdays."  
  
"WHAT?!!" Duo slammed his fist down on a sturdy chair arm. "Une, you've got to be kidding!"   
  
"She's not," Quatre's tenor answered harshly, "I've already been legally placed under the 'protection' of my oldest sister. The blue-green eyes flashed dangerously, "Winner Corporation is in panic because legally I'm not recognized as an ADULT!"  
  
"WHAT?!!" The braided boy shouted in outrage for his friend. The blue-violet gaze swept the room once again as the news set began to sink in. He could see the others felt as furious and helpless as him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Duo, there's nothing we can do about it. It's for your own good-" Une ignored the five deadly glares that focused on her instantly "-really, think about it. The people are antsy about the five of you already; if you were living alone, incognito, and were kidnapped or something, we'd have a crisis on our hands. This way you'll have someone to look out for you and people will be satisfied."  
  
Duo's translation-the normal people are afraid of you, so you have to have a babysitter even though you've lived on your own for sixteen years.  
  
Through clenched jaws the braided boy hissed, "What kind of 'supervisors' are we to have?"  
  
Une shifted her eyes around the room. "When I learned of the situation I tried my best to work up suitable arrangements for each of you. From the data that was collected from the wars we knew that Quatre's father was killed, but he had other family willing to take him in, as you now know. Chang's family was, unfortunately, all on his home colony when it was destroyed. His partner, Sally Po, has agreed to be his guardian." The Chinese boy showed no sign of hearing her other than to straighten his back further, the onyx eyes betraying no emotion to the outside world. "Heero, uh, 'requested' to be placed in the custody of the Foreign Minister's Chief of Security. The arrangements for that are still being hammered out since it was quite a surprise to everyone." As she spoke the Perfect Soldier's eyes locked with Duo's for a moment and the two friends acknowledge the wisdom of his 'choice'. "We had medical information from Trowa's records with Oz so I had a DNA analysis run in the hopes that a relative would be found, amazingly we found a 50% match, meaning a parent or sibling." The boy in question finally looked up from his paper with wide eyes, disbelief clear in the emerald depths. "His sister, by birth and fate it seems, has agreed to look after him." Une turned hers eyes back to her desk as she continued, shifting files and lifting a single envelope into view. "We used the same technique to find a guardian for you, Duo."  
  
Silent moments passed in frozen time as the boy tried to grasp the implications of her simple statement. "I'm an orphan...I don't...have family..."   
  
Warm brown eyes caught his gaze with sympathy. "We believe we've found your father, Duo."  
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If you've gotten this far, congratulations, you've survived my bad humor! Now please take a moment to review!  
  
Next part'll be up soon,  
--Anon 


	2. We Found A Man Who Looks Like You

Title: Oklahoma (Chp. 2-We Found A Man Who Looks Like You)  
Author: AKA Anonymous  
Warnings: Angst! My funky humor, etc.   
Disclaimer: Honestly, I don't want the G-boys. Could you imagine what they would do to my house?   
************************************  
KEY:  
"blah"--speech (duh)  
*blah*--action and italics  
~blah~ --flashback talk  
//blah//--lyrics  
  
*************************************  
"Hey, Duo, did you remember your shampoo?" a strong baritone called up the stairs where, in a dark blue room with a four-poster bed, a young man stood staring at a suitcase. Soft sunlight drifted lazily through the sheer window drapes and played along the long chestnut braid as the boy pulled himself back to reality.  
  
//Suitcase packed with all his things//  
  
"Uh, yeah! Thanks Trowa!" Duo's voice called back as he continued to stare at the mid-sized leather bag. Everything he owned in the world fit neatly into its spaces, with room to spare. He could remember all too well the wonderful feeling of unpacking the stiff suitcase for what he thought would be forever. The day after the last battle, when Quatre asked him and the others to stay, and--to his surprise and delight--they had. Now they were all leaving.  
  
//Car pulls up, the doorbell rings//  
  
Through the open window he can hear the sound of the taxi pulling up. The inevitable had come. With quick, well-rehearsed movements he zipped the suitcase up, pulled on his hat and walked out of his room, his heart breaking at every step despite the casual smile on his lips.  
  
//He don't want to go//  
  
Four pairs of eyes--cobalt, aqua, emerald, onyx--four faces--Heero, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei--looked up as he descended the stairs. They were his friends, his family. In his heart he screamed at the injustice of being ripped away from them, but externally he kept up a brave front.  
  
"Hey guys! Guess this is it, huh?" The braided boy said over-loudly.  
  
Three grunts answered quickly. Quatre nodded, "Yeah, this is it. I'll miss you, Duo."  
  
The two boys stared at each for a moment before dropping the bravado pretenses and flinging their arms around each other. "God, Quat, I'll miss you, too."  
  
Duo backed off and held his friend at arms length, giving a bright smile of encouragement as the blue-green eyes filled with tears. Fighting back the sting of tears himself, Duo turned to Trowa, counting on the Stoic-Wonder for a little reprieve in the emotional fireworks. Trowa stared straight back in his usual quiet demeanor before extending a hand, "Good luck, Duo."  
  
Duo accepted the hand, his smile suddenly turning sly as he pulled the taller boy into a hug. "Take care of Cathy and yourself, Tro." The other nodded and smiled quickly as Duo moved on to his next target.  
  
Wufei didn't meet his gaze, the proud warrior only bowed deeply to him and turned to leave. "'Fei?"  
  
The sleek boy paused a moment to look back. Duo could see the pain written in the cat-like eyes and quickly return the bow, smiling his good-byes before the Chinese boy fled. The ache in Duo's heart doubled at the sight and then doubled again as Heero spoke up.  
  
"Don't be upset with him, Maxwell. He's losing his family all over again."  
  
"He's not the only one, Yuy," Duo turned to his best friend with unshed tears brimming in his eyes. "But I'm not upset, just a little disappointed."   
  
Heero nodded and braced his feet against his friend's attack. With a soft whimper Duo threw himself at his comrade. "Heero, I don't want to go."  
  
//He thought he'd found his home//  
  
"I know, Duo, I know," the monotone voice whispered. Duo allowed a few tears to slip as he gripped his friend's shirt and took one last look around. He didn't see the extravagantly carved banisters, the brilliant paintings, or the plush carpets. He saw the memories of his family living together in a wonderfully free and peaceful time. A time that had been far too short and brutally cut, leaving a bitter hole in the five boys' hearts where their plans for the future had once been.  
  
//But with circumstances he can't change  
Waves goodbye as they pull away  
From the life he's known  
For the last seven months or so//  
  
Sniffing slightly the braided boy pulled back from the safe arms and picked up his suitcase once again. His body trembled as he opened the door and handed his bag to the driver. One last glance back at his comrades, a lopsided smile, a quick wave and he was gone.  
  
The taxi driver drove in silence, ignoring his tear-streaked passenger as they pulled onto a heavily trafficked road and started out to the unknown. The silence was fine with the young fighter, he wiped down his face with one arm while pulling out a beaten envelope with other. The envelope Commander Une had given him only two days ago. The greatest shock of his life was neatly printed on the white paper inside. A DNA match to his of approximately 50%.   
  
~We think we've found your father, Duo.~  
  
The memory of her statement had echoed in his mind every waking minute. He secretly doubted the truth that the tests clearly pointed to; he thought Une would call and apologize at the mix up and he'd be back to being an war orphan again. But that hadn't happened.  
  
~Maxwell? The adoption papers are being processed as we speak. Your father is very anxious to meet you, I'm told he cried when they first contacted him with your picture. Apparently there's a strong family resemblance. ~  
  
//She said we found the man who looks like you  
Who cried and said he never knew  
About he boy in pictures that we showed him//  
  
~Hey, Duo?~  
  
~Yeah, Yuy?~  
  
~I've got that info you wanted...On your father.~  
  
Duo stared from one paper to another. The test results, the background check. His 'father' lived on an estate in the rich country land of Oklahoma. Once upon a time it had been a hick-ville part of the United States, but as the years progressed the land had matured into a peaceful, well-to-do area. His father lived in a small piece of Earth that had been totally untouched by the wars. A perfect place to settle down and raise a family.  
  
//A rambler in his younger days  
He knew he made a few mistakes  
But he swore he would have been there  
Had he known it  
Son we think we found your dad in Oklahoma//  
  
~Thanks, Heero. I just...~  
  
~I understand. I would want to know, too.~  
  
//A million thoughts raced through his mind  
What's his name, what's he like and will he be  
Anything like the man in his dreams//  
  
On the streets Duo hadn't spent a lot of time thinking of his past. He always lived for the present--it was the way to survive on the streets--but when peace times came, even before his life was shattered again, he had wondered...  
  
Who was he, really? What was his name? Where did he belong? The questions weren't that important before because he could answer them. He was a pilot, Duo Maxwell, and he belonged with his friends. Now everything was different. He had lost his sense identity in the matter of moments.  
  
~Duo? Are you okay?~  
  
~Yeah, fine...*Really* Relena!~  
  
~I'm sorry about this.~  
  
~It's not your fault. I know you tried your best for us.~  
  
~If there's anything I can do...~  
  
//She could see the questions in his eyes  
Whispered, "Don't be scared my child,  
I'll let you know, what we know"//  
  
~His name is Alex, you know.~  
  
~Huh?~  
  
~Alexander Timothy Brighton. Age: 36. Married to one Rebecca Ann Larson, mother of two children from a previous marriage. Children:...Duo?~  
  
~Yeah?~  
  
~You have a half-brother.~  
  
~WHAT?!!~  
  
//About the man we found, he looks like you  
And cried and said he never knew  
About the boy in pictures that we showed him  
A rambler in his younger days,   
He knew he'd made a few mistakes  
But he swore he would have been there had he known it  
You always said that this was something that you wanted//  
  
"A brother?" Duo whispered, pulling himself out of the taxi and into the awaiting Lear jet. "I have a brother."  
  
A secret prayer, a lonely boy's wish fulfilled. It was like Father Maxwell's God had finally rewarded him with his own miracle. A brother. Not a leader, like Solo, or a comrade and friend bonded by death, destruction and determination, like the other Gundam pilots, but a real brother.   
  
"Sir, we're ready for take off to Oklahoma International Airport just as soon as you're ready," the intercom to his left buzzed.  
  
"Thanks, go ahead."  
  
//Son it's time to meet your dad in Oklahoma//  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe it's real," Duo repeated the mantra to himself. If everything was true then he was going to meet his family. His blood family. His father and brother and a mother and two other siblings... "I can't believe it..."  
  
The trip from Quatre's home in London to Oklahoma flashed by the Gundam Pilot and he was all too soon sitting in another taxicab speedily inching towards his new home.  
  
//One last turn he held his breath  
'Til they reached the fifth house on the left  
And all at once the tears came rolling in//  
  
The taxi driver announced they would be insight of the house in seconds, but Duo hardly heard him. He fought back tears once again, not tears of pain and loss of friends, but salty drops of longing and the realization of the time he had lost. Duo was stepping in to a new life at sixteen, a life he had longed for everyday on the streets and in the wars. He had missed so many opportunities.  
  
//And as they pulled into the drive  
A man was waiting there outside//  
  
Duo's mind stopped. His heart cut off mid thump. From the tinted taxi window he could see an older version of himself. Sans the long hair and slim body that came from malnutrition and heavy exercise.  
Fear rose in his stomach, but he somehow found the courage and strength to face his new destiny. That, and the fact the taxi driver pulled the door open, dragged him out, dropped off the suitcase and climbed back in the yellow vehicle without so much as a 'get lost.'  
  
~'Fei? What if...~  
  
~What if what?~  
  
~What if he doesn't want me?~  
  
~Duo, you baka, he's your FATHER.~  
  
Duo blinked as the taxicab pulled away and he found himself face to face with the familiar looking stranger. "Welcome home, Duo."  
  
//Who wiped the worry from his eyes  
Smiled and took his hand//  
  
"Come on inside, we have a room already for you," Alex Brighton spoke cheerfully, waylaying the younger man's fears in a caring and easy-going manner. "The rest of the family is out giving you a bit of time to settle in before they mob you relentlessly!" A strong arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him gently towards the large house.  
  
The older man with chestnut hair lifted the leather suitcase onto the green quilted bed as the younger eyed the large room from the doorframe. "I...I want you to know..." the deep voice stumbled for a moment as the man regarded his son, regret and pain clear in his boyish features, "that I would have..."  
  
"It's alright," Duo cut him off quickly. "I'm just glad you would *now*."  
  
"*Now* and always, Duo. You'll never have to be alone again, I swear," the man's blue eyes glinted with new tears as he held out his arms. Duo smiled and stepped into the waiting arms. They were warm, comforting, but not right. They didn't give him the sense of safety his friends did, but maybe, in time they would.   
  
//And he said, I'm the man who looks like you  
Who cried because I never knew  
About that boy in pictures that they showed me  
A rambler in my younger days  
I knew I'd made a few mistakes  
But I swear I would have been there had I known it  
Never again will you ever be alone  
Son welcome to your home in Oklahoma//  
  
~Duo--no matter what--you'll always have a family with us, but you have another one, too. It's a blessing, not a curse. We'll never lose each other, so there's nothing wrong with having a new home.~  
  
~*Three affirming grunts*~  
  
"Thank you." 


	3. Welcome to Your Home In Oklahoma

*Ring!* * Ring!*   
  
Duo's eyes scrunched shut against the threads of light warming his face but couldn't seem to escape the persistent noise.   
  
*Ring!* *Ring!*  
  
"Heero? Quat? Get the damn phone already!" Duo groaned into his plush pillow, pulling the green quilt higher on his chest. His mind jerked a second, trying to think why he had a green quilt instead of his dark blue comforter, but the heavy tug of sleep quickly derailed that train of thought.  
  
*Ring!* *Ring!*  
  
"Duo??" The boy cracked his eye open. That voice was not Heero. Who the Hell was it and why weren't they answering that annoying phone? "You're going to be late!"  
  
"Late?" Blue-violet eyes snapped open as a flood of memories rushed in. The white plastic clock rang once again before a strong hand slapped the dial, displaying the fated hour. "LATE?!"  
  
The once-upon-a-time God of Death flung dignity to the wind as he wrenched on his jeans, a clean shirt and his boots in a flurry of frizzed chestnut hair. Five minutes later the boy threw himself down the stairs, trusting in his instincts to not miss a step as he balanced a nylon bag in one hand and a stack of books and papers in the other.   
  
"Du--! Oh, there you are, sweetie!" Rebecca Brighton smiled warmly as the boy stumbled into the kitchen. "Slept in a bit, huh?" The pretty, middle-aged woman looked him over with a professional eye before twirling a finger to the half-panicked young man. Duo caught the hint and, with a dubious glance, turned around. After a few quick, efficient tugs he faced her again, long hair redone in a neat plait.  
  
Duo blushed under the woman's attentions, "Uh, thanks."  
  
"No problem. You do have two sisters and a mother now, you know," fixing his shirt collar and brushing off imaginary lint. She smiled slyly at his discomfort, "You'll never need for hair ties in this house."  
  
"He'll need a tardy slip if he doesn't hurry up," Tamara drawled from the backdoor. Duo smirked internally at his sister's forward, no-guff attitude. It reminded him of a feminine Wufei. "Come on, Duo. Don't wanna be late for your first day, do ya?"  
  
Okay, a feminine Wufei with a slight American accent and brilliant red hair.   
  
"See ya later," Duo called back to Rebecca as he jogged to catch up to her fiery daughter. "So, uh, Tamara, which way?"  
  
The girl smirked in response, "It's about a quarter of a mile north. Ya do know which way north is right, *space boy*?"  
  
Duo smiled sweetly and replied with a sarcastic, "Up?"  
  
Tamara snorted and gave his arm a friendly punch. "Yeah, you'll fit in just fine 'round here, *uh*, Duo."  
  
The pilot let out a soft sigh as the red-head relaxed before his eyes. He had met the girl barely five days prior and they still fumbled their way around each other. The same went for the rest of the Brighton family, though they tried to hide it.   
  
His step-mother was the best at their little act, accepting the newest and oldest addition to their group of children without batting an eye. Mrs. Alex Brighton seemed to simply absorb Duo into her life, to the point where he felt she was *too* motherly. But then again, he didn't know how a mother should act in the first place, so he blushed and allowed the smothering attention to flow over him.  
  
His step-sisters, Tamara and Stephanie, were close to his own age, Tamara being two months shy of his estimated birthday and Stephanie a year behind them. At first their guarded looks and seemingly quiet demeanor made him feel like he was a three-eyed alien that just *happened* to look like their dad, but they grew more and more friendly as time had passed. Mostly thanks to his father's sense of humor and relaxed attitude.  
  
*His father*. It was still a little strange for the braided boy to think of that phrase. Alex Brighton hadn't tripped over himself to make Duo feel comfortable, he just let things play themselves out naturally; as if Duo had *always* been there, not just appearing out of the blue. Duo didn't buy the act for several reasons, all of which he kept to himself.   
  
As the Shinigami he had worn many masks in his life and because of that he could judge a person's emotions by what wasn't eluded to. He could see the pained looks, the regret, the frustration of the deep blue eyes set in the heart-shaped face, as well as a growing warmth and trust.  
  
~We've told them as little as possible; everything about your life as a Gundam pilot or a Preventer Agent is still highly classified. Anything more than the bare facts are up to your own discretion.~  
  
~Understood.~  
  
His father obviously knew there were secrets surrounding his long-lost son. The man was friendly, not stupid. The boy had lived on the streets of the most brutal place man had ever created, showed up after sixteen years in a DNA test run by the Preventer's top brass, and had been flown with first-class accommodations halfway around the world before the ink on the adoption papers had dried. Duo was surprised he had kept the facade of normality--with no questions--so far.  
  
Duo had a feeling the act wasn't for his sake, but more for Tim. Timothy Randall Brighton, his younger brother. An exuberant, but frail-looking ten year old who had stolen the heart of the thief-turned-soldier before they even met. Skin of palest cream and eyes a glinting sky blue from his mother's Irish heritage, but the thick chestnut locks that framed the thin face clearly belong to his--their--father. The child's eyes were the only set that took the braided boy in without hesitation, looking up to the stranger with adoration and hope.   
  
~...Duo??~  
  
~Yeah?~  
  
~You have a half-brother.~  
  
~WHAT?!!~  
  
~Timothy, he's the son of Alex and Rebecca. Their son...oh, God...~  
  
"Earth to DUO! Hey, *space boy*!" Tamara yelled in his ear.   
  
"Yeah, I heard ya already!" Duo rubbed his ear in feigned pain. "What is it?"  
  
"We're here, space case," the red head laughed, motioning to several large, squat buildings. "Welcome to Jefferson High School. Best public egduamication in the county!" she joked with an outrageous hillbilly accent.  
  
"That's it?" the blue-violet eyes traveled over the ancient, brick and white mortar structure with apprehension. He'd hacked into much better looking schools to annoy Heero during their missions. His step-sister mistook his question and grinned.  
  
"That's it. Welcome to the void that will suck your brain dry. The teachers here are hell bent on driving the students mad with homework and tests, so kiss your free-time bye-bye," the girl tugged on his arm, pulling him into the nearest entrance. "Your classes are already assigned, you'll have homeroom with me--it's history, so don't fall asleep--then beginning PC programming, freshman English, geometry, and finally gym. From what I've heard the teachers are going to test you in each class to see if you'll need any...extra help."  
  
"Woah, wait a minute!" Duo grabbed her shoulder, turning the girl to him in confusion. "*'Extra help?'*"  
  
Tamara looked away with a shrug. "They don't have any past records to go on, and because you were living..." His step-sister voice trailed off, leaving the rest to his imagination.  
  
"I see," the boy took the tail of his hair in a vice-like grip, "so because I lived on the streets they think I'm an idiot."  
  
"Duo, don't be mad," the girl pleaded at the angered visage. "Ma and Dad went through a lot to make sure the school board let you have even this. It's a start at least. I know you're not stupid, but the high-muckety-mucks need proof," the blue eyes flashed wickedly, "so knock the socks off 'em!"   
  
So Duo sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable. Mission Accepted...God, he missed those guys.  
  
Six hours, one lunch period, and a large battery of tests later the braided boy stomped off the school grounds death-glaring at anything in his path. Tamara had tried to catch his attention, but fell back at the sight of the flushed face and blazing amethyst eyes.  
  
The scowl stayed in place as he brushed past his parents, climbed the stairs, slammed his bedroom door open, and then slammed it shut. Duo's hands shook with rage as he attempted to twist his face into a calm mask. When that failed he tried a different approach. "Fuck! *Idiot*! Damn! *K'so*! Baka! Son of a BITCH!"  
  
"Duo?! Is something wrong?" His father knocked softly on the door before stepping into the room. Genuine concern flooded the midnight blue eyes as the older man reached out to calm the boy down. Duo pulled back, hissing.   
  
"I knew this wouldn't work. I shouldn't be here in the first place," the boy stated harshly. The violet eyes were still narrowed and, if looks could kill, were trying to burn a hole in the floor with the glare.  
  
"Sweetie, what happened?" Rebecca questioned carefully, sweeping into the room to stand by her husband.   
  
Duo finally looked up, blank-faced, to study the couple. His father's hurt expression didn't touch him through his mask, nor did Rebecca's soulful eyes; both blue pairs asking a million silent questions, offering comfort, but also guarding confusion and fear. "Call Preventer Headquarters. Use my name. I'm going back."  
  
"Duo, son--"  
  
"But sweetheart,--"  
  
"No!" Duo's head snapped up and he met the teary eyes of the third speaker, the creamy skin was pale in unbridled fear. Tim's thin frame shook as he searched his older brother's face. "No, you can't leave, Duo. You *can't*!"   
  
The soldier's mask broke under the accusatory gaze of the ten year old and Duo drew a ragged breath, facing the small, distraught face. "Tim, I'm not --"   
  
"NO!" Tears burst out as the boy shook his head. "You promised you'd stay! You said you would..." The braided boy stood helpless as Tim gave one last sob before sprinting down the hall.  
  
He started to move towards the door to follow, but a strong hand gripped his shoulder, "Rebecca will make sure he's okay." The woman nodded, glancing between the two men before disappearing after her youngest son. "Now, Duo, please tell me what happened."  
  
The stern gaze was enough to tell Duo that he wasn't going to let the matter drop. "I don't belong here. You may be my biological father, but you have no idea who I am because who I really am is classified. I've seen things--done things--that you couldn't imagine. Because of them I--" Duo looked his father in the eyes, letting his face soften as he spoke, "--I'll never be a normal kid. Please understand, my presence here could even put you in danger and I don't want that. Make the call, ask for Commander Lady Une; she'll take care of the paperwork."  
  
Saying his share, Duo turned his back and started gathering his belongings, stuffing them in the old leather suitcase as his father stood in silence, watching. Casting the boy one last heartbroken look, Alex left the room to make a phone call.  
  
~Son, I'd like you to meet your family. Rebecca, my wife. These *lovely* girls are your step-sisters, Tamara--she'll be going to school with you--and Stephanie. Be careful, they bite.~  
  
~*Two voices protested* Hey!~  
  
~And *this* strapping young man is my youngest son, your half-brother, Tim.~  
  
~Hello.~  
  
~Hiya, Tim. What's up?~  
  
~Are you really gonna stay?~  
  
~Yup, you're stuck with me.~  
  
~Good.~  
  
Duo stared down at the half-filled bag laying on the bed, wondering where he would be heading next. Now that his two families--one of flesh and one of friends--were both denied to him by his past and a discriminating law.   
  
God, his life was one fall after another, with only brief moments of peace slipping through the cracks before he was sucked back into the void. The plague, the bombing, the wars--the void of death always crept up on him when he was most happy. Not this time, though.  
  
"Space boy?" Tamara asked quietly, slipping into the room and shutting the door behind her.   
  
"Guess we won't be having homeroom together after all," Duo joked bitterly. The girl answered with silence, waiting for him to break. Wufei, your soul mate is in Oklahoma. "I'd only cause trouble, Tamara. There is so much you don't know about me."  
  
"I know that you're tearing my family apart when we've opened our hearts to you," the girl shot back. Anger boiled back into the boy's mind. "Just tell me why *now*. After these last few days, why *now*?"  
  
"I was kidding myself, letting this fairy-tale carry me away," the violet eyed boy sighed, fighting back his frustration and pain, "but there's no happily-ever-after in this world."  
  
"You're not even trying," she accused.  
  
"I have," he countered, catching her angry face with his flat gaze, "you have no idea how I've tried. I haven't checked the perimeter before going to bed. I've kept myself from reaching for a pistol at every unfamiliar sound. I didn't even hack the school computer to falsify my background. Though, I really wish I had done that last one."  
  
The sheltered girl tried to brush off his confession, but her eyes were shadowed with doubt and fear, just like her parents' had been moments before. "Duo, please, you don't know what you mean to us."  
  
The boy's eyes flared violet, "I know exactly what. That's only another good reason for me to go." He coldly brushed past the girl, showing no sign of regret as her blue eyes also filled with tears. 


	4. Says Good-bye as They Pull Away

//Huge// thanks to Diane from GWFF ML for beta-reading and pointing out my stupid mistakes!   
  
Title: Oklahoma  
Author: AKA Anonymous  
Warnings: A smidgen of angst, a dash of humor, and a pinch of sadness. Stir and let simmer. Yum!  
Disclaimer: Watashi wa Gundam Wing no arimasen. (The creators are Japanese, so the disclaimer is, too! Please forgive the bad grammar, I'm only in my 5th week. Translation I think I have no Gundam Wing)   
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Last chapter:  
  
The sheltered girl tried to brush off his confession, but her eyes were shadowed with doubt and fear, just like her parents' had moments before. "Duo, please, you don't know what you mean to us."  
  
The boy's eyes flared violet, "I know exactly what. That's only another good reason for me to go." He coldly brushed past the girl, showing no sign of regret as her eyes also filled with tears.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
His feet carried him through the house with measured step until his ears caught a familiar voice.  
  
"You've barely had him five days," Lady Une's eyebrow was raised on the video phone as Alex Brighton ran a hand through his short chestnut hair.  
  
"I don't know what to do, Miss Une. He's demanding to leave. I thought we were getting through to him, but...he jumps at the slightest sounds, he's so distant at times, and...he's just *not happy* here," the man hung his head. "He's my son, but I've never met a person who can give off such...danger. There's something in his eyes that frightens me in its coldness; like he's seen Hell itself."  
  
Lady Une nodded sadly. "What he's been through would have killed any other person. I can't say much on the matter, but I had hoped that reuniting him with a *real* family would have helped bring him back to normal society. I'm sorry for any pain this has caused you or your family, Mr. Brighton. And you, too, Duo."  
  
Alex's head snapped around to gaped at the silent third party. Father and son stood silent while the man's words fell between them, widening the imaginary crevice that separated them. Finally the blue-violet eyes broke the trance, looking away to give the older a chance to regain his senses.  
  
"Duo, I'm sorry. I still want you to stay here. We could help you forget--"   
  
"No," the boy whispered with a small smile, "I *never* want to forget. My memories, however painful and horrible, are what make me who am I. I'm Duo Maxwell, not Brighton. You may want to help me, but deep down you also want to use me. To forget your own pain."  
  
The older man opened his mouth, shaking his head in disagreement, but the boy cut him off with a swift hand motion. "I'm not David and I can't replace him. Not for you, not for Rebecca and certainly not for Tim. I don't know how it feels, but it must be a terrible thing to lose a son; especially a twin."  
  
~Timothy, he's the son of Alex and Rebecca. Their son...Oh, God...Their older son, David, was killed a year ago.~  
  
~H-how?~  
  
~Drunk driver hit him. He and Timothy were twins.~  
  
His father's eyes shed tears, unashamed, as he stared at his oldest son. "We didn't want to replace him. David was our son and we loved him. When he died a piece of each of us died with him." The man ran his hand through his hair again, pulling in a deep breath to stop his voice from shaking. "When they called me, saying they found my son, I confess--I thought for a moment you would be just like David--like we were given a second chance to have a whole family again...I'm sorry, Duo."  
  
"That's alright, Dad," the boy replied with a shrug. "I almost wish I could be him for you, but I can't and I can't stay here."  
  
"But--" the older man started, but stopped and recognized the look on the young face, so similar to his own, clearly stated the final decision. A familiar twinge of pain danced on his heart as he prepared himself to lose another son. The wince of grief was not unnoticed by the slim boy who stepped forward to clasp his father's warm body in a tight embrace that was quickly picked up by the other. Father and son gripped each other for long moments before a small cough drew them back to the rest of the world.  
  
Lady Une's eyes face was slightly dusted with pink as she attained their attentions once again. Duo smiled as he realized the light brown eyes were also filled with standing water. He'd tease her about it later, but for the moment he cocked his head to one side as a 'go ahead' signal.  
  
"Well, Maxwell, we have a bit of a problem on our hands now, don't we?" Her voice was soft, but her lips twitched downward slightly. Alarm bells went off in the braided pilot's head--more bad news.  
  
"It seems that several colonies, mainly in the L-4 cluster, have been *heavily* protesting the legal age laws--"  
  
Duo's translation--Quatre's people are pissed.  
  
"--a friend of yours slipped past his long-lost sister and his whereabouts are currently unknown--"  
  
--Trowa's gone AWOL.  
  
"--I've had my hands full with a stubborn Agent who is rooming with the most *conceited* man on the planet--"  
  
--Wufei as been ranting about 'weaklings' and 'onnas' even more than usual.  
  
"--and now I have to find a new place for all four of you, seeing as you can't act like normal human beings."  
  
Duo blinked in confusion, but didn't let that stop him from getting the last stab. "Love you too, *Colonel*." Lady Une gave him a death glare a certain suicidal pilot would have been proud of. Thinking of whom..."What about Mr. Personality?"  
  
"Surprisingly," the woman almost rolled her eyes, "he's getting along just fine with his new assignment."  
  
Duo's translation--Heero gets to carry a gun, so he's fine.  
  
"So...now what?" the boy asked hesitantly. His mind, however ran in unerring circles of, 'Oh please, oh please, oh please!'  
  
"Well, considering that you'd probably disappear into God knows where if left to your own devices, I've made some new arrangements. You'll temporarily be placed under Preventer protection. There's this very nice house in London that was abandoned five days ago. It's pretty close to Preventer Headquarters..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The spacious living room, forest green with gold trim, was thoroughly *trashed*. In the midst of the overturned furniture, the newly gouged oak desk and the scattered papers were two very happy teenage boys who were totally oblivious to the disaster. The angelic blonde grinned brightly at his companion, the other boy, whose face was half obscured by a long flow of light brown hair and showed only one green eye, gave miniscule smile back, until the front door opened.  
  
"Hey guys! I'm--" the sound of a bag dropping heavily on the marble entryway enunciated the long pause. "WHAT THE HELL?! Trowa! Quatre?! 'FEI?!!"  
  
Suddenly the boys in the living room realized their mess, which actually extended over a good deal of the house, was now sending their friend into a blind panic. Both stood instantly, Trowa accidentally releasing his hold on the large furry tornado that quickly bolted out of the room and rammed full-force into the chest of an unsuspecting boy with long chestnut hair.  
  
Quatre bit back a laugh as the American's limbs flailed helplessly under the weight of the golden mass on his chest. The dog took full advantage of the boy's plight and began a serious tongue bath before Trowa managed to regain a hold on the thing's collar.  
  
The half-disgusted, half-amused look Duo had as he slowly wiped the drool off his face, still sprawled on the marble floor, was too much for the pilots to take. Commander Lady Une walked through the open doorway to see three of the greatest fighters in the history of mankind laughing insanely on the floor. A moment passed before she realized they all had tears standing in their eyes; their laughter was the only thing holding off a flood of pain, relief, and happiness. She sighed, loathed to break up the scene, but luckily another did it for her.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL?!" The three on the floor stopped instantly. Wufei gave them all his own death glare before surveying what damage was visible. "I'm gone for six days and everything goes to Hell," the Chinese boy threw his hands up in mock anger.  
  
A brown blur streaked across Lady Une's path and glomped the sarcastic Justice-Freak, "'Fei! God, I missed your egotistic, boorish comments!"  
  
"Ugh," the Preventer Agent grunted under the assault, "Maxwell, you're heavy!"  
  
An evil glint crossed Trowa's eyes as his hand 'slipped' once again. A split-second later there were *two* piles of laughing boys--Duo, Wufei, and their furry attacker in one, and the Arabic and European pilots on the other end of the room, clutching each other in a mutual effort to stay on their feet and failing miserably. Their plight was swept aside as a sixth figure appeared in the door, surveyed the assembly, grunted, and walked calmly around the tangled limbs. Heero's expressionless face only added to the others' relief and, in the blink of an eye, all five were huddled together. Even the more stoic ones reached out occasionally in a quick touch, tap, thwap or--mainly in the case of Duo's braid--tug, to make sure the others were actually there. Reassuring themselves and their friends that their bad dream was finally over. They were a family again.  
  
Until a discrete cough reminded them that they still had company. Une gave the group a sympathetic look and then a displeased one. "Duo, I arranged for your transportation, Heero and Wufei have been living in this area, but how," her gaze turned to Quatre and Trowa as they studied the floor with sudden interest, "did the two of *you* get back to Earth?"   
  
Trowa coughed, but otherwise kept up his faultless mask, leaving his best friend to explain. Quatre gave him a smoldering aqua glare before he caught Lady Une's unamused look. "Er, well, Trowa picked me up yesterday on his way from L-3." The woman kept her flat eyes on the boy and he sighed. "We used one of Heero's old programs to get new ID's and rent a shuttle." The blonde threw Heero an apologetic glance, but the Japanese boy only shrugged. Only his closest friends could catch the slight twitch of a smile that flickered on his otherwise dead features.  
  
The woman nodded wearily. "I suspected as much." Sighing once again she got down to business, "The new government, in light of some strong arguments from citizens and sympathetic officials--along with the panic from Trowa's disappearing act and other complications--has agreed to *review* your approvals to be legalized as adults." Two of the boys grinned broadly at the news, the others held back various smirks. "The only stipulation is that you attend school, check in with an approved supervisor once a week and keep your noses *out of trouble*." Her last statement was punctuated by sharp looks at Trowa and Duo.   
  
Trowa nodded slightly at the underlying command while Duo quirked an eyebrow. "What'd I do?"  
  
"My office received a call from a Mr. Tompson of Jefferson High School in Oklahoma. He was babbling something about a new student cheating on his tests, speaking rudely to the teachers and assaulting an instructor, all in his first day," Lady Une looked the blushing boy over, barely holding back a smile as he gulped.  
  
"Duo?" Heero fixed icy cobalt eyes on his best friend with a disapproving look.   
  
The braided boy held up his hands in a show of innocence. "It wasn't *my* fault!" Five sets of flat eyes focused on him, clearly not convinced. "Hey, they're the ones who wanted to quiz me on 'current events' 'cause they thought I was too stupid to know history. You should have heard the bullsh--" Une glared dangerously "--uh, stuff that they're teaching kids about Trieze and Oz and everything! It was ridiculous and when I tried to debate it with the teacher, he flipped! That thing about cheating was totally wrong; my computer 'teacher' was pissed when he found out I had half a brain. I only hacked the library system, for God's sake!"  
  
"Duo!" Quatre groaned, giving his friend his own look of disappointment. "You know you weren't supposed to do stuff like that."  
  
The boy shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "They thought I was some kind of charity case. An ignorant little street boy--who knows nothing of 'proper' education, 'real' society, or life outside a gutter--to speak down to and help 'adjust to be a normal kid.'" The violet glare told them all what he thought of the instructors' methods.  
  
Lady Une shook her head, "That's no reason to attack your gym teacher, Maxwell."  
  
Duo cringed under the four voices shouting, "What?!"  
  
"I--er--didn't mean to. Really! The guy asked me if I had had any training in self-defense since the class was practicing basic martial arts techniques--I think he was probably the only teacher who hadn't heard about me--so I told him some of my friends taught me a few moves. How was I to know that he wasn't any good?" The braided boy blinked innocently as his friends shook their heads.   
  
Lady Une groaned internally, giving up on all attempts to understand the teenage warriors and silently swearing to never see them broken up again. For humanity's sake as much as their own. "I see. Well, the four of you will have to stay at this--" the brown eyes glanced about "--what is *left* of this house. I will send someone over to check on you periodically, please don't kill them--"  
  
"Four?" Trowa cut in, the efficient vocabulary relaying his question with minimal effort.   
  
"Well, Heero has been--"  
  
"Five," the monotone voice corrected.   
  
The Preventer Commander glared at each of the boys, demanding silence before continuing. "The FIVE of you will be monitored until the government grants you special status as legal adults or you reach your eighteenth birthdays. With this democracy, the *second* is probably most likely."  
  
Silence descended on the room as the pilots stared at their sometimes-commander. She turned to leaving throwing over her shoulder, "I wasn't raised in this 'freedom of the people' stuff, you know."  
  
Surprisingly it was Heero who first spoke after the Commander's sudden departure, bringing reality back to the others as they stood together in their entryway. "So, what's with the dog?"  
  
Trowa and Quatre's eyes widened in horror as they snapped their heads around, frantically looking for the furry menace and sighed in relief as they spotted it. The yellow fur ball grinned at them happily from its place at Heero's feet. It obviously didn't see, or at least it didn't mind, the boy's discomfort at its proximity as it yawned up at the five faces and quietly lay down.   
  
"Quatre?" Heero questioned again.  
  
"We found her at the shuttle bay. I couldn't just leave her!" The blonde looked to his friends in a silent plea.  
  
"A girl? Urgh, like I haven't had enough," Wufei grumbled, picking up his bag and heading for the hall. "She's YOUR dog, Winner, don't let her chew everything up."  
  
"Aww, she's cute," Duo crooned as he, too, picked up his suitcase and headed for his room. "I don't mind, Quat, it'll be fun!"  
  
Heero stared down at the lump at his feet; the mournful brown eyes stared back at him; he looked up only to see the same look in large aquamarine globes. Well, even the Perfect Soldier has a few soft spots. "Why did it have to be a yellow lab?"(1) He shook his head and headed for his room. Scowling slightly as the dog followed, but doing nothing to stop it.  
  
The last two left on the landing sighed in relief. Well, one sighed, the other relaxed...a little. Life was back to normal, or as close to as they could hope. Then they both turned around...  
  
"You think they'd help us clean up?" the blonde asked hopefully, surveying the wreckage.  
  
The stoic clown shook his head, "Not a chance."  
  
Yes, life was definitely back to normal.  
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A.N: (1)-Yes, I know I described the dog as being kinda fluffy, but think of it as a mutt 'cause I wanted it to be a yellow lab to go with the dog in Heero's Episode Zero. At least I think that was a lab...^_^;  
  
If you haven't read Episode Zero, I highly recommend it. It gives a lot of insight into the characters and a bit of mystery, too. (Check out GundamWing.org for the translations and manga!)  
  
**Attention Brave Readers** Because I've gotten some great feedback from my ML's I'm seriously considering doing a sequel. Please let me know if you'd like one or have a suggestion. I got the idea for this ending from a reviewer (*Waves at Diane*) so you know I'm open to 'em! 


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